Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-08

mother gave away. Puryear instituted
snit for divorce. Once heleft her then
he came back and they ate at the san
table but occupied different chamber
The woman was sickly, depressed in
spirits, and had spoken of suicide. 1t
is claimed that once she attempted TO
drown herself in the well, and once
tried TO cut her throat, but was pre-
vented. June 10, 1885, she learned that
her child was dead and was greatly
distressed. June 18th she wrote
note TO her mother 0ound in her room
long afterwards saying:
rite this 10 show you all that my husband
sas that he will not live with me 30 take nv
life. You al made me marry him he due not
love rue now So Rood-by mother never expect
10 SEQ You any moro our daughter
EMMA L. PURYRAR
The Penuineness of this letter was
never admitted by the Commonwealth.
1t was not found for weeks and weeksaf-
ter the death Of Mrs. Puryear, although
the house had been repeatedly searched
for poison and whatever else might
throw light on the case. 1t seems to
have produced no effect upon the minds
of the trial jury.
THE POISON.
June 13, 1885, early in the morning,
Puryear mixed q toddy for his wife.
That toddy contained strychnine and
killed her in a few hours. In the ago
mics of death Mrs. Puryear declared
that her husband killed her. To Frank
Pritchett (colored) she said : He
came in with a toddy in two glasses
His was red mine was white. He said,
Emma, here's little toddy for you.
She said, Holmes, / don't want it, Mr..
Puryear said, Yes, do Emma, drink it
for my sake She said ever siLce |
drank it I've been in this fix, and if /
never get a chance to tell anybody,
Uncle Frank, [ want you to tell every
| BODY that Holmes killed me-
To Martha Fritchett (colored de-
ceased said about the same. This wit
ness testified also; "She called Mr..
Puryear to the bed. He was
at the door. She said: Holmes,
III swear that | was not in this
fix until | drank that toddy this
morning. You have killed me !;
Holmes, you have killed me. Then she
said to me Hold me down, Martha,
and let me die. Martha, if l was q
Christian wouldn't mind dying, but
am a poor sinner, and will soon b
gone. Holmes said Emma, do yo
think I have done anything to You
She replied Yes, you know you hay
killed me this morning in that tOddy.
Mr.. Puryear did not say anything, bui
clapped his hands on his head, said
Lord. Lord = and went on in the other
room. My father, Frank Pritchett,
was there Mrs Kidd was there, too !;
Rosena Robertson was there she was
therc-all three We're there" "
Mrs. Kidd said on the trial 50 say
now. as [ said before the coroner, that
Mrs. Puryear told me Holmes put me
in this fix and is the cause of my being
III this fix. '"
OTHER POINTS.
Purvear claimed that the tOddy he
had taken made him i'll too, and he be-
baved as if i'll or drunk-dTunk, the
prosecution said.
This is but scant outline of the case.
The details have frequently been given
in this paper.
There was great excitement in Din
widdie, and Puryear narrowly escaped
the lynchers. On a change of Ccnue,
which was ordered, the case was tried
in Prince George county before the
Hon. Beverly A. Hancock, judge of the
Circuit Court.
Puryear was found guilty and SEN
fenced TO death, and from that iudg-
ment appeals. He was represented be-
fore the Supreme Court yesterday 10y
r.. II. Wilson, Esq, who made the fol-
lowing points;
PRISONERS CASE.
Seven bills Of exceptions wore fled TO the
rulings Of the trial court upon which the Court
| Of Appeals will lie called to pass:
First. To the action OF ;he Circuit Court OF
Dinwiddie In Overruling as premature the mo-
| ,ton of the accused for a change OF Uehue, de-
ciiine that a motion for change of ce1iue nlust
| precede a motion for a change OF uenire. lhls
| exception is confidently relied on, aud several
| Virginia decisions cited-amongstthe most 70 re-
| cent Joyce's case, 3 Hans, where IL was dc
| 0pitely decided that motion for change OF
| rTn,ye must pTecede motion for change Ol
| ucTue. ,,. c,. "a
i NeeOuu. 10 the nctlOn OF INC Nu'uiA NDNi' W
| Prince George 10 which court tho case was re-
! moved ON the change Of Uenuc) In permitting
| Martha Prlchett 10 state 10 the jury What mrs
| Puryear said 70 her after the iauil uOse nui
| been taken, without the Court hIst uoVorui!-
| ming after hearing the testimony OF all tne Wiz
| nesses who were present at the time, Nhelher
| those statements were admissible as dying ae-
| cIarations. parts OF the Tes gest6 or admission
| 10y silence. , ,..., L. I'D, ma
] t,tion that the instructions Of the Court snDso-
1 oUenfly given, that these were not dying de-
| clarations; that they were not parts OF the r.
! qcstop nor admissions by silence, unless @ tle
/ aroused distinctly heard The WhOle cndrRe
| made against him and failed 20 deny II, snow
! mai had the Court performed It's proper luhc-
/ tious these statements would never nave gone
| 10 the Jury. Since Mrs Mary Kidd, wnom MAI.
/ tia Prlchett said was present az the tlne, enu
| ~ was a witness for the Commonwealth,
| stated that Mrs Puryer said nothlhs W MI.
| Isrrvear except 10 ask him TO perform TWO act.
| Of Kindness for her-one 70 draw pucket i y,
| fresb wafer and che other 70 hold up her nean
| whilst witness gave her some 10 drink MIS-
| KIDD was The only white person present .
| ilb btrd 10 the refusal OF the Court 10 admit
certain testimony of II. NJ. Fisher.
| Itonrth. This exception was taken after YER
dtct 10 fhe refusal Of the Court To set the YER
dict aside aud grant new trial ON the ground
| mai n Wae contrary 20 the law and evidence
This evidence showed that Mr.; Puryear mar
rled Miss Emma l.. webb believing her 70 90 d
| s,,;,, bnt that al the time she was eHciente-
| 80 Risbop being dt IS charged) her seducer.
| r,so dave after she became mother (whieh
| sas about forty days after her marrlage) Mr.
| p,,,vssy instituted euit for divorce, alleging
! and proving by Mra Pnryears adihisslons ner
| improper Intimacy with BISHOP AFTER hrs.
| pn,yesris shame became pubic she made
| sexs-ei unsuccessful attempts 20 taxe her hie-
| ,sblcb attempts followed Immediately sfler DIS
| ,,,,,in, causes connected with her shame. she
| sas / formed OF tue death OF her child whom
| ~. cave away at It's birth) June IL, 1898.
| "'C,s the I2ih day she was moody ana "a
| s,ont much Of the day weeping. On tho iotn
/ ~ I,,ne she died, and a glass containing sedi-
,a " vim etr-ychnino In II was found setting
'.. inon hcr hedslde There was note found
nh.s,,,,st stb In Mrs Puryear's room, proved 70
.a.s.' been written by her 20 her mother, dated
Ino t9.h in which she states that she taxes Aer
ou a., J;ss charges her family with having msde
| 80 marry Puryear, and bids her mothsr good
| ~. rs-a The commonwealth not having dlsproved
uso. so.aas,,neuesa OF this letter. when three OF
| tilo sg,sessea were acquainted with Mrs Pur-
searss nand writing, The counseI Ior the accused
| (sssisss that this was NrA Puryears eocount Oh
teS sbe came 20 her death, ana inc 'eruict was
eontrary 70 the evidence
r,,,,, Ia an exceptions 20 the action OF the
o.is, nneerrullng motion Ia arrest OF iudg-
Sou.' ~, tnsufticieacy Of the Indictment The
moSe oS.,,s assigned are: That the accused - not
Issayssd wIth adpsfhistsytfg sffgchnine 70 tne
eIssssssed and thai no criminal Intent is charged
| ae..,sr Great stress u laid on this excep-
| "a ,,,,,n A tho accused would confidently
tiQhs 1ttt .,fbaT grounds for